The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-03-11
Our Washington Letter
From Our Regular Correspondent.

Washington Mar. 18th, 1887.
The Forty ninth Congress has joined the
procession of the past. 1t adjourned sine
die on the fourth of March. 1t has become
the fashion to speak of the dilatoriness and
stupidity of Congress. Such abuse is cheap.
1t might be explained that it is difficult
for heterogeneous mass of clashing indi-
vidualities and interests to act smoothly
and simultaneously. Other people have
solved the difficulties by divisions, frontier
Notifications, and standing armies aud col
lossaI military budjets. We prefer to set
tie wransles in our own house, and we are
wise even in the conceit Of our fore ign
neighbors.
The only way to judge the Forty ninth
Congress will be by comparing it with pre-.
yious Congresses, and it must be said in its
favor mat more bills were introduced and
passed by l., more have become laws, and
more have received vetoes, than in any Of
the Congresses that had gone before. Many
important and useful measures were passed
among them changing the Presidential
succession to the Cabinet; regulating the
Electoral Count so as to avoid disputes;
providing for one and two dollar paper cur
rency; building a new Congressional Lii
brary; recovering in forfeited railroad land
grants nearly $4,000, 900 of acres and re-
storing i: IT, the pebble domain extending
the mail delivery system TO towns of 10000
population; the Inter State Commerce law;
granting lands i'll sever atty 10 Ind aus; the
Canadian Retaliation bill; the repeal of
the Tenure IF Office Act; the increase of
the Navy; prohibiting the importation of
foreign contract labor.
The River aud Harhor bill met deserved
failure. The President believing the mon
ey was not needed refused to sign it. The
River and Harbor bill which he signed
August 6, 1886 made an appropriation of
4,474 coo and there was then part of
the preceding appropriation unexpended.
On the first of November last the Engineer
in Chief reported to Congress that there
was on hand for the Improvement of Rivers
and Harbors Sl6,636, 1862. But little of this
money has been spent and there was no
necessity for the appropriation Of $4,000, )
600 more.
1t was President Cleveland's original in
tentnn to remain at the White House DUR
ing the closing hours of Congress, but at
the last moment having received kilograms
from Speaker Carlisle and both Senators
and Representatives that the District APP
preparation bill would fail unless he could
reach the Capitol III time to sign it, be en-
tered his carriage and reached the Presi-
denis room at the Senate end of the Capt.
itol only fifteen minutes before the time
that Congress must expire by Constitution.
There he and his Cabinet glanced at the
bills that were brought to him by swift
messengers, and such as were approved re-
ceived his signature. The intelligence that,
the P esident was in the building spread
rapidly, there were not less thar five thous
and people in the Capitol, and he had not
been in his room three minutes before the
police had to form Gordon around the
door to prevent the intrusion Of the throngs
Of people who pressed forward to catch a
sight of the President. The police had a
hard time of it until Mr.. Cleveland left
the Capitol few minutes before adjourn
ment He had had only three hours rest
since Wednesday night, but he showed no
signs of fatigue, and after returning to the
White House he held the usual daily re-
ception of visitors in the East Room.